Phlomis
cretica C. Presl
Del. Prag.
84 (1822)
Synonyms:P.
ferruginea var. cretica
Bentham
Distribution
in the wild:Crete, Greece,
Aegean Islands in clearings of Quercus coccifera
woodland, garigue. Sea level to 1,250m.
Flowering
in the wild:March-May
cretica
means of Crete.
A compact, low growing attractive shrub with grey felted
leaves often with a yellow tinge to the lower surface and
edges. Hardy to -10°C.
Dwarf evergreen shrub to 45
cm. Leaves stellate-tomentose above, stellate-lanate beneath.
Lower leaves lanceolate to oblong, crenulate, cuneate, truncate
or rounded at base, 3-19 × 1.5-6.5 cm; petiole to 4 cm.
Single whorls 14-30 flowered. Bracteoles subulate, linear
or narrowly lanceolate, stellate-tomentose and ciliate,
12–19 × 0.75–3 mm. Calyx 13–19 mm stellate-lanate with
glandular hairs. Teeth subulate 1-4 mm. Corolla yellow,
25-27 mm. Nutlets hairless.
Natural
hybrids:
P.
× cytherea K.H. Rechinger
Boissiera
13:115 (1967)
(= P.
cretica C Presl × P. fruticosa Linnaeus)
Distribution:
Greece, Crete at 300–500 m.
Flowering:
April–May in wild.
Leaves
oblong-ovate. Bracteoles lanceolate to 4 mm wide. Calyx
teeth horizontal, mucro to 4 mm with glandular hairs.
P.
× commixta K.H. Rechinger
Denkschr.
Akad. Wiss. Wien. 105(2,1):119 (1943)
(= P.
cretica C Presl × P. lanata Willdenow)
Distribution:
Crete, in clearings of Quercus coccifera woodland,
at 800m.
Leaves
2-3 cm long. Bracteoles 12-15 × 2-3 mm. Calyx 15 mm; teeth
mucros 1-1.5 mm.
